R.I.P. David Levine

I learned today that David Levine, the longtime cartoonist of the New York Review of Books died this week.

Levine was one of the greatest caricaturists of all time, and an artist I took a great deal of inspiration from, obvious or not. For over four decades he brilliantly illustrated virtually significant personality of our era, particularly (given his publication) authors, a class of people who sadly don’t get drawn very much these days. His caricatures were not only outlandish, well-crafted, and hilarious, but always displayed additional cunning insights into the personality of the depicted, through his careful incorporation of clever props and poses. In doing so, he set a high standard for the art of caricature, demonstrating that it was not sufficient merely to illustrate the face, but also capture the entirely of the person, both physical and intellectual. Needless to say, given the sheer amount of individuals he depicted, Levine’s trademark required a level of educated brilliance that is almost unfathomable to imagine a mere cartoonist possessing today.

Check out the wonderful archive of his work on the NYRB website and marvel at his craft for yourself. You might want to steer clear of the last decade, however. As is unsettlingly common among legendary cartoonists, Levine ultimately worked too long past his prime, leaving the artwork of his latter years (groan) a mere caricature of his former glories.

Regardless, he was a great artist and hero of mine, and will be missed. R.I.P.